| Travelling in turns usually is a problem of strength | | | | ** Spend several weeks if necessary, to address the |
| holding the postural plumb line. If the position and | | | | above issues, until you can do rises and releves with |
| movement is not correct, the turns will travel and | | | | correct posture and placement. Learn some Pilates |
| flounder. | | | | core work, and stretch and relax all your muscles, |
| Here are 7 highly effective tips to examine your | | | | before, during and after class. |
| technique for fouettes and turns a la seconde: | | | | ** To check your spotting, do an easy echappe |
| ** Standing sideways to a mirror, do a few press | | | | from fifth to second, turning as far as you can |
| ups in first position. Do you have a postural plumb | | | | toward a quarter turn, leaving your head to the |
| line? If your core, your turnout, your ankles and soles | | | | front. I don't specifiy exactly how far you should |
| of the foot are steady, also check to see that these | | | | turn, because this depends on the extent your head |
| movements are done with no strain in the shoulders | | | | will turn without inclining. Continue to echappe turning, |
| and neck. | | | | and close, leaving the head behind, until you face |
| ** With fingertips on the barre, do slow motion press | | | | front, then repeat on the other side. This is just to |
| ups and down in retire, or a la seconde. If you can | | | | feel the looseness of your neck muscles in leaving |
| do this without strain in the neck and shoulders, | | | | your head behind. |
| great. If there is strain, you need to build up strength | | | | ** Repeat this exercise in retire or a la seconde. Use |
| in your core, and possibly overall. If a postural | | | | a partner, to hold the hand of your supporting side |
| deviation from your plumb line shows up here, check | | | | as you turn away from the front. Again, this is to |
| for technical accuracy. | | | | check the neck (and shoulders) relaxation as you |
| ** What specific technical accuracy? The basics, | | | | releve, and to check your postural plumb line in the |
| always. Is your turnout strong, or have you | | | | position of your turn, and your demi plie. (We haven't |
| compensated by shoving your supporting heel | | | | dealt with fouette yet). |
| forward when you plie, changing your center of | | | | ** For fouettes, use a partner in the center, to do |
| balance? Are you dropping back in the bottom of the | | | | your demi plie with the leg extended devant, and |
| demi plie? A shorter demi plie is not a bad thing. | | | | then do a slow motion press up with the ronde de |
| What counts is being in good posture in your demi | | | | jambe and into retire, turning a little. This is to again |
| plie so that you can press with your heel/foot, into | | | | check the postural plumb line, correct demi plie, and |
| the floor, and use gravity to push up, without having | | | | ease of the neck in leaving the head behind. |
| to make another compensation to rise into a straight | | | | This whole process may take place over a whole |
| position. It's a lot more work to keep all these | | | | year. You will be doing your pirouettes, fouettes and |
| compensations/countercompensations going. | | | | turns a la seconde all the time. But as you gain |
| I want to make a comment here about Classical | | | | strength, and learn to see and feel those tiny |
| Stretch, the Full Body Workout and Athletes' Intense | | | | compensations you have been doing, you will build |
| Stretch. On a day off dance classes, this is a | | | | excellent work habits for these spectacular feats. |
| wonderful routine. It is not too hard on the legs and | | | | Ballet is much harder to do wrong. If your early |
| back, which need to rest, it combines Pilates with | | | | training wasn't the best, you can back-peddle like this |
| balletic style for your core strength, and it fulfills the | | | | to correct technique in your advanced levels. |
| need for stretch and relaxation that most dancers | | | | For any overworked muscles use an ice pack at least |
| neglect. Good muscle tone is not just work, work, | | | | twice a day. A homeopathic cream called Traumeel is |
| and more work. | | | | wonderful for soft tissue repair. Apply after icing. |